Thirteen

The first

said, you must be a man as much as you want it

then offered a glass of water

which is to say, have I not baptized you enough?

The second

will know nothing of your face

but of how low your head can bow

how open your mouth can crucify

The third

is Lazarus

speaks only of what he can see

there is no God in that

The fourth

an accent

eyes the shade of Eden

need I remind you how

that chapter ends?

The fifth

a blonde-haired

whiskey

hands like goliath

will toss you

because

he does not believe in your Christ,

but you are still pretty

for a black girl

The sixth

a dancer

will know

he is the age of

Jesus

At the cross

But will still

Make a resurrection

Out of you

The seventh

Will kiss you

Only after

He's allowed his

Righteous

Work to rest

On your face

And your chest

The eighth

Is the driest valley

Of lonely

Your bones has ever

Laid with

The ninth

A Lower-east side

Bar shot

The reason

You do not call home

What has no welcome mat